Machine for manipulating belts of cartridges for automatic guns



I Dec. 4, 1945. c. T. HALL ETAL 2,390,097

MACHINE FOR MANIPULATING BELTS OF CARTRIDGES FOR AUTOMATIC GUNS FiledNov. 30, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I c. 'r. HALL ETAL MACHINE FORMANIPULATING BELTS OF CARTRIDGES FOR AUTOMATIC anus Filed Nov. so, 19425 Sheets-Sheet 2 n/mim- M M MMIMQ'M/ Dec. 4, 1945. -c. T. HALL ETAL2,390,097

MACHINE FOR MANIPULATING BELTS 0F CARTRIDGES FDR AUTOMATIC GUNS FiledNov. 30. 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet s Ihveniar CZML/JM mgm M'ww Dec. 4, 1945.c, HALL Em 2,390,091

MACHINE FOR MANIPULATING BELTS OF CARTRIDGES FOR AUTOMATIC GUNS FiledNov. 30, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 I I jizvenfor L -g4. m M t: .31 By W )A M24% a4, Mwzw Dec. 4, 1945. c, T, HALL r AL 2,390,097

MACHINE FOR MANIPULATING BELTS OF CARTRIDGES FOR AUTOMATIC GUNS FiledNov. 30, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 31 245W M, M?

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Patented Dec. 4, 1945 earns AT NT QFFICE Charles Thomas Hall and RichardWilliam Harris, Deptford, London S. E. 8, England Application November30, 1942, Serial No. 467,394 In'Great Britain December 16, 1941 11Claims.

This invention concerns improvements in or relating to machines formanipulating belts of cartridges for automatic guns, and refers moreparticularly to a machine adapted to remove some of the cartridges froma cartridge belt and replace them by others of a different kind, forexample those with tracer bullets. Such a machine will be referred tohereafter as a machine of the kind described.

For the purposes of supply, cartridge belts are often made up atfactories, or depots, and issued for use .to the services but itfrequently happens that the cartridges composing a belt are not allsuitable for a particular purpose in view and it is desired to changethe composition of the belt by removing some of the cartridges andsubstituting others of a different kind. Usually the new cartridges areinserted at regular intervals along th length of the belt but the ratioof substituted cartridges to the number in a complete belt variesaccording to requirements. For example where tracer bullets are to beincorporated in a belt filled with ordinary small arms ammunition theratio may vary from one tracer to four ordinary bullets, to a one in tenratio.

According to the present invention there is provided a machine of thekind described, comprising a feeding device for a cartridge belt, areciprocable cartridge manipulating device, drivlIlg means operablyconnected to said devices and arranged to drive said devicesconsecutively in such manner that the feeding device is actuatedintermittently and the cartridge manipulating device is caused toreciprocate only Whilst the feeding device is stationary, the cartridgemanipulating device being adapted to extract a cartridge from th belt onone stroke and on the return stroke to feed another to replace theextracted cartridge, and cartridge feeding means to feed cartridges tothe cartridge manipulating device. The cartridge feeding means maycomprise a magazine, wherein a movable feeder may be located at thebottom of the magazine and adapted to move each cartridge laterally fromthe magazine into alignment with the manipulating device.

The belt feeding means may comprise a ratchet drive actuated by aneccentric on the said driving means, and the pawls of the ratchet may becoupled by a link to a lever having a fixed stroke, the pivot of saidlink on the lever being adjustable along said lever to enable varyinglengths of belt to be fed at each stroke.

The manipulating device may be adapted to be reciprocated by a camactuated by the driving means. Separating elements operably coupled tothe driving means may be adapted to be moved into engagement with thecartridges on either side of a. cartridge in alignment with thecartridge manipulating device to ensure sufficient space for thecartridge to be inserted.

One way of carrying the invention into effect will now be described withreference to the accompanying drawings which show a machine formanipulating disintegrating cartridge-belts.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine with the front cover removedto expose the mechanism.

Figure 1A is a fragment of Figure 1 showing how the cartridges arearranged in the magazine.

Figure 2 is a section of Figure l on the line A-A, a few parts beingomitted and some which are in advance of the section shown in chainlines.

Figure 3 is a section on the line B-B, Figure 1, a few parts beingomitted.

Figure 4 is a plan showing the general arrangement of the machine.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a work table showing the cartridgemanipulating devices and associated parts.

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an end view of a detail in Figure 6.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the severalfigures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings the machine comprises a base plate I on whichare fixed two upright members 2 and 3 which support a substantiallyhorizontal plate or work-table 4 over which the cartridge belt,consisting of cartridges connected by links 5, is fed to enable thedesired operations to be performed on it. The upright members 2 and 3consist of substantially rectangular plate-like castings and comprisebearings for various shafts of the machine and supports for other parts.The belt is fed intermittently over the work-table and during eachperiod of rest the operations of removing one cartridge and substitutinganother of a different kind are effected.

The means for feeding the belt over the table comprises a pair ofsprocket Wheels or other suitably fiuted discs 6 which are rotatablymounted on a stub shaft 7 fixed to the front upright 2, parallel withthe surface of the work table, and so disposed that the teeth of thesprocket wheels protrude slightly through suitable slots in the table.Thesprocket wheels are so spaced apart along the stub shaft that theteeth of the wheels may engage successive cartridges along the length ofthe belt while the clips or links thereof pass 'supply' of cartridges tothrough the space between said wheels. Above the table there is mounteda cartridge feeding device consisting of a 'magazine 8 in which thecartridges 9, Figure 1A, are superimposed in a single vertical row asshown so that they approach the table 4 with their axes substantiallyhorizontal and substantially parallel to the cartridges in the belt. asthe. latter'passes across the work-table. The feeding device may be thesame as that described and illustrated in British Patent SpecificationNo. 539,184 and, if desired, a cartridge feeding hopper, such, forexample, as that described and illustrated in said specification may beprovided to furnish a continuous the cartridge feeding device. Thesprocket wheels are intermittently rotated by means which will bedescribed in detail later and thus if the leading end; of a belt is laidon the table withthe first two cartridges. in engagement with the teethof the sprocket wheels the belt will be fed across the table in a seriesof movements when the machine is operated. The table is providedwithcurved portions NI extending downwardly from the horizontal part thereofto lead the belt upwardly to the. table and downwardly away therefrom asthe operation proceeds. Side guides II, Figure 4, of suitable shape arealso provided to effect lateral control of the belt as it is fedupwardly to the table. These guides are bent or flared at the entranceas indicated by the shading in Figure 4. At the position where thecartridges are removed and replaced by fresh ones there is also provideda top guide plate l2 disposed above the table, parallel to. it and at adistance above the same suflicient to permit the belt to pass throughthe tunnel thus formed while at the same time effectinga top control ofthe belt to prevent it from disengaging from the sprocket teeth. Thisplate will be described in greater detail when the cartridgemanipulating devices.

are. being described.

The machine may be manuallyoperated and for this purpose is providedwith a handwheel l3 having a handle or crank l4 and fixed on shorthorizontal shaft l5 which is journalled in the upright 3;. The inner endof the handwheel shaft has attached thereto a small gear wheel H5 whichengages a larger gear wheel H. The latter is fixed on a shaft l8journalled in both uprights parallel to the handwheel shaft andvertically below it. A spring clutch is is provided to connect, the gearwheel [6 to the shaft l5 so that the drive ceases in the event of a jamand a detent 60. prevents rotation of the handwheel in the wrongdirection. Where convenient a. power driving device such as an electricmotor may be used as hand operation israther fatiguing when many beltsare to be manipulated. For the power drive the handwheel l3 may bereplaced by a pulley arranged to be belt driven by an electric motorsuitably geared down. The second shaft l8 has an eccentric fixed to itnear the end thereof remote from the gearwheel IT and behind the front;frame. To facilitate description, this shaft will be hereafter termedthe eccentric shaft. A strap 2| on said eccentric has a rod 22 which ispivoted at 23 to the lower end of a curved (i. e. arcuate) lever241Which is in turn pivoted to the upright 2 at a position 25. A link 26is pivoted to'the curved lever at a point between the lever pivot andthe eccentric rod pivot and the other end of the link is pivoted at 21;to a pawl lever 28 provided with two pawls 29 which engage the teeth ofaratchet wheel in the manner described below. The ratchet wheel isrotatable on a stub shaft 30 fixed in the upright 2 and the pawl leveris also pivoted on this shaft 30. On the ratchet wheel there is fixed agear wheel 3| which meshes with another gear wheel 32, of half itsdiameter and fixed to the. sprocket wheel assembly. Thus as theeccentrio is rotated; the sprocket: wheels are intermittently rotated,the distance of each movement depending on the location of the pivotpoint of the link 26 on the curved lever. This pivot point may be variedat will and for this purpose the curved lever is furnished with a seriesof holes 33 spaced along the curve from the position where the.eccentric rod is pivoted towards the lever pivot. The pawl lever isarranged to return to a fixed angular; position, relatively to themachine on each return stroke, and the necessary differences in thestroke for different ratios are made by varying the angular position ofthe lever at the end of the driving stroke. The pitch line of the holeson the curved lever therefor consists of an arc struck from the linkpivot 21- on the pawl when the latter is in the return position and of aradius equalto' the link length and the lever is shaped symmetricallyabout this pitch line. The holes are then spaced out on the arc at'points formed by the intersection of similar arcs (struck from thevarious positions of the link pivot at the end of-the' various drivingstrokes, corresponding to the different ratios) on the pitch line in itsother position, i. e. at the end of'the eccentric stroke. As previouslymentioned, the ratio of substituted cartridges to the total number inthe belt may e. g. from a 11-10 ratio up to a 1:4 ratio and thereforethe movements imparted tothe ratchet wheel, which vary for eachdifferent ratio, only differ slightly when the ratiois changed a little,e. g. from lr9-to 1110;

To enable fairly robust teeth to be provided on the ratchet wheel inspite of the small possible variations inthe stroke of the pawl leverthe ratchet wheel is geared to the sprockets by the 2:1 gearing abovedescribed and the ratchet wheel is provided with the same number ofteeth as either of the sprocket wheels. It will therefore be; seen thatthe sprocket wheels are to move an odd number of teeth, to suit aparticular ratio, the pawl lever on its down (or feeding) stroke will"have to move a distance around the rim of the ratchet wheel equal toseveral whole teeth plus half a'tooth. On its reverse stroke, which isofcourse through exactly the same arc, the ratchet wheel is heldstationary by a detent 34 described below and thus the driving pawlwould come to rest half way between the crests oftwo teeth. To; overcomethis diificulty, two pawls are provided, as previously stated, and theseare spaced apart circumferential-1 around the periphery of the, ratchetwheel by a distance such that while one pawl is in operative engagementwith a teeth the other pawl rests idly between the crests of two" teeth,see Figure 3. On the next driving stroke of the pawl lever, this idlepawl, which has operatively engaged a tooth of the ratchet wheel as thelever comes to rest on the previous returrr'stroke, becomes the drivingpawl. During this stroke the other pawl isidle and remains between thecrests oftwo teeth. A

/ locking pawl 01- detent 3.4 is provided to prevent backward movementof the ratchet wheel on the upward stroke of the pawl lever; This detenthas two projections, spaced apart by a distance equal to half the pitchof a ratchet wheel tooth,

vary over a wide range,

see Figure 3, which successively engage ratchet teeth when the sprocketwheels are moved through odd numbers of teeth. In order to hold thesprocket wheels stationary, during the operation of the cartridgemanipulating devices, a cam operated lever 35 is provided which has aroller 36 adapted under the action of a spring 37, Figure 3, to engagethe teeth of one of the wheels each time the sprockets come to rest.Otherwise the weight of the belt on one side might easily cause thesprocket wheels to move, as the pawls and detent above described onlyhold the parts against movement in one direction. This lever is pivotedon the upper part of a bracket 38 which extends upwards from the base ofthe machine beby a cam 39 which is mounted on the eccentric shaft andengages a roller 40 on the lever. During the movement of the sprocketwheels the cam roller therefore clicks over the teeth until the end ofthe movement is reached when the cam rise prevents the roller frommoving away from the teeth of the sprocket. The rise of the cam is soshaped and of such length as to cover all proportions of movement torest periods throughout the range of the machine. The eccentric shaft isfurther provided with a bevel gear wheel 4|, at a position between theeccentric and the large gear wheel previously mentioned, which forms a.part of the manual driving means. Another bevel gear wheel 42 whichengages the above mentioned bevel gear wheel is fixed on one end of ashaft '43 journalled in a bracket 44 extending upwardly between theframes 2 and 3, the bevel gear shaft being located at right angles tothe eccentric shaft. At the other end of the bevel gear shaft is fixed adisc 45 having a cam groove 46 in its inner side face in which a camroller 41 runs. The roller is mounted on a lever 48 which is pivoted at49 to the bracket 44 which supports the bevel gear shaft, at a positionnear to the base of the machine. The upper end of the lever is pivotedat 50 to the cartridge manipulating device.

As previously mentioned the cartridges are superimposed in a verticalrow in the lower part of tween the front and back frames and is operatedthe magazine and if the cartridges are of the rimmed variety it will beapparent that the rims might interlock if an attempt is made to feedthem endwise from the base of the magazine. To overcome this, thecartridge feeding device comprises an oscillating feeder 5| having areceptacle or groove 52 shaped to receive one cartridge at a time. Thereceptacle is, at one position of the feeder, beneath the magazine, seeFigure 2, and a cartridge therefore falls into said receptacle.Thereupon the feeder swings to the left, as viewed from the front of themachine, Or in Figure 2, and carries the cartridge into alignment withthe cartridge manipulating device. Meanwhile the outlet of the magazineis stopped by a block 53 on the feeder whose upper surface is level withthe height of the top walls of the groove or receptacle. The feeder isalso provided with mangular ledge 54 located to the left of thereceptacle, as viewed from the front of the machine, for a purposementioned later when the operation of the manipulating device isdescribed. The receptacle is fixed to one arm 55 of a bell-crank lever,such arm oscillating through the necessary distance in equal arcs abouta vertical line. The bell-crank lever is pivoted at 56 to a lug on thebracket 44. The other arm 51 of the bellcrank is disposed atsubstantially 90 to the first arm and has a cam roller 58 on it whichengages a cam 59 fixed on the eccentric shaft. A tension spring 6| holdsthe roller in contact with the cam. In this way a cartridge to beinserted into the belt is brought into axial alignment with the positionin the belt for which it is destined.

The cartridge manipulating device comprises a lever 62 disposedsubstantially horizontally and pivoted at 50 to the cam lever 48,previously de scribed, which co-operates with the grooved cam disc.

The forward end of the device comprises a pusher constituted by avertical face 63 on the lever and forward of this an extractorconstituted by an overhanging hook or claw 64 projecting from said face,see Figure 7. A cam roller 65 is attached to an upstanding lug on thelever and run in a fixed cam '66 having a horizontal groove in it forthe major part of its length with upwardly directed portions at eachend. Thus as the device moves to and fro it rises slightly at the end ofeach stroke. Instead of a groove cam a cam having the same contour asthe top of the groove in the cam 66 may be used and the roller 65 heldagainst it by a spring, for example a torsion spring at the pivot 50.

In operation the device is so disposed that While the belt is movingover the work-table the extractor is about /8 of an inch back from itsextreme forward position but is clear of the moving cartridges becausethe cam roller is on the top of the forward upwardly directed part ofthe fixed cam. As the belt movement ceases, the extractor moves back andslightly downwards so that it engages the rim of a cartridge and removesit from the belt. This cartridge is received on the angular ledge 54 ofthe feeder which has a back stop 90. The oscillating feeder then movestothe left as viewed from the front of the machine and the extractedcartridge falls sideways off the angular ledge and into a chute 6!leading to a box or the like. Meanwhile a fresh cartridge in thereceptacle is brought by said movement of the feeder into axialalignment with the pusher face 63 which then moves forward and pushes itinto the vacated space in the belt. During the first part of the forwardor pusher movement of the feeder the latter is raised up a little by therise of the rear part of the fixed cam to enable the extractor to passover the head of the fresh cartridge and permit the pusher face toengage the same. When the pusher stroke is completed the device isretracted above A; of an inch to remove the pusher face a short distanceto the rear of the heads of the cartridges in the belt to clear the sameas the belt moves by in its next intermittent movement.

The top guide plate which holds the belt against upward movement duringthe manipulation is hinged to the table at one end on a pivot 68 and maybe clamped down by a latch 69 at the other. At the part nearest to thebelt it is provided with a small ramp or pressure plate [0 which almosttouches the belt and thus prevents any appreciable upward movement.

A further top guide plate H is also provided and this is normally fixed,although it can be detached when necessary. This plate is also providedwith a ramp 12 which forms an extension of the ramp 10 on the hinged topplate. Lateral control of the belt during the operations thereon isafforded by side guides l3, l4 and i5, and a plate 16 supports thebullet end of a cartridge.

To facilitate the insertion of a cartridge into the belt, and preventits rim from fouling those of the two neighbouring cartridges, there isprovided a separating device consisting of a grooved 4- plate 11'. Thisis moved. upwardlay as described below as soon as the extractor hasremoved. a cartridge: from thebelt and the flanks; of the separatingdevice force the said neighbouring cal.- tri'dges sideways so that thereis ample. room for the incoming cartridge. The separator i fixed to alever 18 pivoted at 19 to: abrack'et 81 depending from the table. Aspring 82;.pulls the: lever and separator upwards but it is depressed atthe necessary times by a: roller 83 mounted on an arm 84 which is fixedto: the arm. 55 oi the bell-crank lever which supports. the. feeder51'... The. upper surface of the lever i8 is formed into a. cam ofsuitable: contour Where the roller engages it, see Figures 2 and. 3..

What we claim as. our invention and desire; to secure by Letters Patentis:

1. In apparatus; for replacing cartridges in a cartridge belt, the.combination. with an intermitr tently' operated conveyor step movementina predetermined. path to: abelt containing: cartridges, of. means forfeeding replacement cartridgesto apoint adiacent said path, mechanismfor engaging and removing. a cartrid'ge from. the belt and transferring:a replacement cartridge from said'point; to: the vacated position. insaid belt, and; means driving said con- Veyor and mechanism. in. such.timed relation. that said mechanism is operated. to: removeand replace acartridge while the belt is. stationary.

2. In apparatus for repiacing cartridges in. a cartridge belt, thecombination. with an intermittently operated. conveyor for impartingstep by step movement in a predetermined path-to a belt containing:cartridges, placement cartridges toa point adjacent said path, mechanismfor engaging and removing a cartridge from the.- be-lt and.transferring. a replacement cartridge from. said point to the vacatedposition in said belt, means. driving said conveyor and mechanism insuch timed relation that said mechanism is operated to remove andreplace a cartridge While the belt is stationary, and means foradjusting.- said; driving means to vary the period. of operation ofthe-conveyor and of. movement. impartfrom one to the. next thereby: toalter the extent ed; to the belt. in advancing position ofirest.

3. In apparatus for replacing cartridges; in a cartridge belt, thecombination- With a conveyor for feeding a belt containing. cartridgesin a predetermined. path, of means for feeding. replacement cartridgesto a point adjacent said path, mechanism for engaging and removing acartridge from the belt and transferring a replacement cartridge fromsaid point to the-vacated position. in said. belt,. and means drivingsaid com veyor and -mechanism in timed relation,

4. In apparatus for. replacing cartridges. in. a cartridge belt,. thecombination. with a conveyor for feeding a belt containing cartridges ina predetermined path, of means for feeding replacement cartridges to apoint adjacent said.- path, said means including a cartridge magazine, afirst: mechanism for removing a cartridge laterally from said magazineand delivering. the same to said. point in. alignment with the.cartridges in said belt, a second mechanism. for engaging and removing acartridge from the belt and transferring a replacement cartridge fromsaid point to the vacated position in said belt, and means drivingsaidconveyor and mechanisms in: timed relation.

5. In apparatus for replacing cartridges in a cartridge belt,. thecombination. with a: conveyor for imparting step by of means for feedingrepositions of. rest, of means aaoonc-z for feeding a belt: containingcartridges ina predetermined path, of means for feeding replacementcartridges to a point adjacent said path, a first mechanism for engagingand removing a cartridge from the belt and transferring a. replacementcartridge irom said point to the vacated position in said belt, a secondmechanism operableto engage and move apart the cartridges at each sideof each vacated. position during. the transfer to. such position of thereplacement cartridge. and. means driving. said conveyor, and said.mechanisms in timed relation.

6-. In apparatus for inserting cartridges in a cartridge belt havingcartridge receiving pockets therein, the combination. with. a conveyorfor feeding said belt. in apredetermined path, of a magazine supporting.cartridges with the axes of the. cartridges. disposed transversely ofsaid path, a first mechanism for removing said. cartridges, one at a.time, from said magazine. and. displacing the same laterally to aposition in alignment with. a beltpocket, a second. mechanism fortransferring the cartridges, one at a time, from said position. into thebelt pocket, and. means drivin said conveyor and. mechanisms. intimedrelation.

In apparatus for inserting. cartridges in a cartridge belt, havingcartridge. receiving pockets therein, the combination. with a conveyorfor feeding saidbelt in. a. predetermined path, of a magazine supportingcartridges with the axes of the cartridges. disposed transversely of.said path, a. first mechanism. for removing said cartridges, one. at a.time from. said magazine. and displacing. the same laterally to aposition in alignment with a belt. pocket, a second'mechanismfortransferring the cartridges, one at a, time from said position into thebelt pocket, and means driving said conveyor and, mechanisms in suchtimed relation that the movement of. the conveyor and the belt carriedthereby is interrupted during transfer ofthe cartridge from saidposition into the belt pocket.

8. In. apparatus for replacing cartridges in a cartridge belt, thecombination with an intermittent conveyorior feeding a belt containingcartridges in a predetermined path to successive for feeding.replacement cartridges one at a time to a point adjacent said path,mechanism operable while the belt occupies a position. of rest forengaging and removing. a cartridge from the belt and transferring areplacement cartridge. from said point to the vacated. position in. saidbelt, and means driving said conveyor and mechanism in timed relation.

9i In apparatus for replacing cartridges in a cartridge belt,.the.combinationwith an intermittent conveyor for feeding abelt. containing.cartridges in. apredetermined path. to successive positions of rest, ofmeansfor feeding replacement cartridges one at a time to a pointadj'acentsaid path, said means including a cartridge magazine inwhichthe cartridgesaredisposed with theaxes thereof transverse. to the belt,a first mechanism for displacing cartridges one. at a. time and in adirection lateral to the cartridgeaxis. from said magazine to saidpoint,asecond mechanism operable While the beltv occupies a position ofrestior engaging. andremoving. a cartridge from the. belt and.transierring a. replacement cartridge from said point to the vacatedposition. in said belt, and

means. driving said convey-on, and mechanisms in.

timed relation.

10.. In apparatus. for replacing cartridges. in. a cartridge. belt, thecombination with an intermittent conveyor for feeding a belt containingcartridges in a predetermined path to successive positions of rest, ofmeans for feeding replacement cartridges one at a time to a pointadjacent said path, said means including a cartridge magazine in whichthe cartridges are disposed with the axes thereof transverse to thebelt, a first mechanism for displacing cartridges one at a time and in adirection lateral to the cartridge axis from said magazine to saidpoint, a second mechanism operable While the belt occupies a position ofrest for engaging and removing a cartridge from the belt andtransferring a replacement cartridge from said point to the vacatedposition in said belt, said second mechanism including a recipro- Wcableelement operable on one stroke to engage and remove the cartridge to bereplaced and on the return stroke to engage and insert in the belt thereplacement cartridge means for effecting reciprocal movement of saidelement, and means driving said conveyor and mechanisms in timedrelation.

11. In apparatus for replacing cartridges in a cartridge belt, thecombination with an intermittent conveyor for feeding a belt containingcartridges in a predetermined path to successive positions of rest, ofmeans for feeding replacement cartridges one at a time to a pointadjacent said path, said means including a cartridge magazine in whichthe cartridges are disposed with the axes thereof transverse to thebelt, a first mechanism for displacing cartridges one at a time and in adirection lateral to the cartridge axis from said magazine to saidpoint, a second mechanism operable while the belt occupies a position ofrest for engaging and removing a cartridge from the belt andtransferring a replacement cartridge from said point to the vacatedposition in said belt, and means driving said conveyor and mechanisms intimed relation, said last named means including connections to saidconveyor constructed for adjustment to alter the period of movement ofthe conveyor and thereby the advance of the belt from one position ofrest to another.

CHARLES THOMAS HALL. RICHARD WILLIAM HARRIS.

